Paladino Says Trump Is Serious About Running

Buffalo businessman Carl Paladino told members of the state Conservative Party on Sunday that real-estate mogul Donald Trump is serious about running for governor this year, but remains leery of a Republican primary.

An audience member pointed out in a question-and-answer session that Trump has flirted with running for public office before – most notably president in 2012 – only to back out, Paladino shot back at him.

“You’re listening to a liberal press, emissaries of Cuomo, because he (Trump) scares the s— out of them,” Paladino said.

Perhaps most importantly for Paladino, Trump has “intestinal fortitude.”

Later with reporters, Paladino said his recent dinner with Trump convinced him that he was very seriously considering a race, but wanted to avoid a primary.

Paladino compared the situation to his 2010 campaign for governor, when former Rep. Rick Lazio was the preferred candidate of the party following the state convention. Paladino said that once he won the primary out right, the GOP establishment didn’t help him.

“Rob’s right on all of the issues. He’s a good man,” Paladino said. “But he doesn’t have the name recognition, doesn’t have the money.”

Astorino in Albany last week insisted he would be able to raise competitively against Gov. Andrew Cuomo, who has $33.3 million in his campaign war chest for his re-election.

Still, Paladino doesn’t think Astorino should rule out a campaign against Cuomo just yet.

“I think we should have a convention,” Paladino said. “It should be an open process. I would hope that Donald Trump would say yes, get out around the state and ask for their vote at the convention.”

Paladino also sharpened his vow to run on the Conservative Party ballot should the Republican nominee not support the ousters of Senate GOP Leader Dean Skelos and Assembly Minority Leader Brian Kolb. He singled out Skelos in particular for “treason” over allowing a vote on the SAFE Act, the 2013 gun control law.

By the same token, Paladino hardened his position about the potential candidacy of Westchester County Executive Rob Astorino.

On Sunday, Paladino said flatly that if Astorino’s the candidate, he’ll seek the Conservative line.

“If he (Trump) decides not to go and it’s just Rob Astorino who refuses to attack the RINOS, yeah, I’m going to run,” Paladino said.

Paladino, a registered Republican, would have to seek permission from Conservative Party Chairman Mike Long in order to run on the ballot line. Long has said that the fight over the Legislature’s leadership is not his issue.

“I told Carl that is not one of my fights,” Long said in a Talk-1300 radio interview. “That is an internal fight within the Republican Party.”